Just give me time to breathe, PLEASE!

Having NPCs verbalize in-game hints on how to solve puzzles really isn't a new idea. There have long been clues provided on puzzle solutions be they spoken by other game characters, provided in the environment, highlighted with some "sense" ability, or something else. However, it sure does seem like those hints are coming a lot earlier and a lot more often in recent releases.

Take God of War Ragnarök as one example. One of the biggest complaints with that game right at release was how your traveling partners would give you next to no time to look around and examine the environment to form your own puzzle solution before they chimed in. It felt constant. It felt like the developers just gave players no room to even breathe. Worse is the fact that these hints could not be disabled or even reduced in frequency.

Another example is with Hogwarts Legacy. The puzzles are already rather simple, but then you have your character telling herself what needs to be done as you, the player, are already in the process of completing the puzzle.

Are you someone that feels like they're getting their hand held a little too much in games now? Do you maybe think that the help is just the right amount? Or maybe you'd actually like more backseating as you hate puzzles. Let us know in this month's late poll and share your extended thoughts below.